With "Deadpool" now making it okay for R-rated movies to open on holiday weekends and smash all records in sight, it’s not a surprise that other studios are going to start toying with the same concept, and Lionsgate are certainly going to give it a whirl.
The studio has announced that "John Wick: Chapter 2" will drop on February 10, 2017, which is pretty much the same pre-Valentine’s Day release date as "Deadpool." Audiences certainly showed it doesn’t just have to be rom-coms and dramas that hit the multiplex on that day, but the Keanu Reeves-starring action flick will still have some tough competition from the Idris Elba starring "Mountains Between Us," the animated "Lego Batman Movie," and the sequel "Fifty Shades Darker." That’s one crowded weekend, and we’ll see if any of them blink.
Meanwhile, Matt Damon‘s Zhang Yimou-directed "The Great Wall" is moving away from its original release date of November 23rd, where it would’ve faced "Bad Santa 2," Disney‘s "Moana," and Robert Zemeckis‘ untitled Brad Pitt and Marion Cotillard flick. It will now drop on President’s Day weekend February 17, 2017. The flick will square off against "Bad Boys 3" and "The Maze Runner: The Death Cure."
So mark your calendars, it looks like 2017 is already getting busy.